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Exploring UX Designer Jobs

Roles in One of America’s Hottest Fields

UX designer jobs are part of the fastest-growing career fields in the United States1 for reasons that should come as little surprise. Quality user experience design (UXD) can lead to an increase in site conversions of up to 400 percent,2 which can greatly impact brand loyalty and sales, and a majority (57 percent) of web users say they won’t recommend a business with a poor mobile experience.3 For those watching the bottom line, these statistics make UX design a critical contributor to profitability.

But perhaps of greater interest to prospective UX designers is this: Not only is there rising demand for UX design professionals, it is also a field in which people find great personal satisfaction. In a national survey of UX design professionals, 81 percent of respondents rated their current career satisfaction at a five or higher on a scale of one to seven. These individuals reported feeling highly valued, said their work was challenging and engaging, and felt their work was beneficial to humanity.4

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Take advantage of the robust market for exciting and fulfilling UX designer jobs, and build the skills you may need to accelerate your UX design career. It all starts here.

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#27
of the 50 Best Jobs in America5
75%
Our alumni reported an average salary increase of over 75 percent after completing the program6

Popular Career Paths in UX Design

Within the realm of UX design, there are numerous unique roles to consider. Think you’re looking only for the title “UX designer”? Think again. While this recognizable role is a great fit for graduates of the online MS in UXD, others like it are equally attainable and are also featured among the Top 100 Best Jobs in America.

  • User Experience Designer7

    • Median pay: $85,900
    • Top pay: $133,000
    • 10-year job growth: 13%

  • User Experience Researcher8

    • Median pay: $106,000
    • Top pay: $162,000
    • 10-year job growth: 19%
  • User Interface Designer9
    • Median pay: $73,800
    • Top pay: $106,000
    • 10-year job growth: 27%

Discover Qualities of a UX Designer

Find Your UXD Career Path

Because UXD represents a diverse set of skills and focus areas, there are several unique career paths to consider. In addition to the three mentioned, here are even more roles you could consider after earning your online MS in UXD.

  • Usability Analyst, $58.5k - $113k annual salary10
  • Information Architect, $92k - $122k annual salary11
  • Interactive Designer, $65k - $97k annual salary12
  • Visual Designer, $65k - $105k annual salary13

Why a UX Design Master’s?

From Our Students

Alesha-Arp
“During my 16 months in the program, I discovered that my professors were all practitioners, and the challenges that we were being given in class were practical, not theoretical. When I graduated, I walked out of Kent State with real-world experience, ready to hit the ground running from the day I got my degree.”
- Alesha “The Machine” Arp, MS ’16

Where Will Your Career Take You?

Top 10 U.S. Cities for UX Careers14

  • New York, New York
  • San Francisco, California
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • San Jose, California
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Washington, DC

Apply Right Now

Top Industries for Kent State UXD Graduates15

  • Consulting
  • Educational services
  • Government agency
  • Healthcare
  • Marketing/advertising
  • Media/entertainment
  • Technology

Learn More UXD Career Benefits

1. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2017/01/05/best-jobs-2017/99.html
2. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/03/23/the-bottom-line-why-good-ux-design-means-better-business/#37d941952396
3. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from socpub.com/articles/the-5-mobile-marketing-mistakes-infographic-14849
4. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from media.nngroup.com/media/reports/free/User_Experience_Careers.pdf
5. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from glassdoor.com/List/Best-Jobs-in-America-LST_KQ0,20.htm
6. Based on a limited sample of self-reported data from Kent State alumni from graduating cohorts between 2016-2020.
7. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2017/01/05/best-jobs-2017/99.html
8. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2017/01/05/best-jobs-2017/39.html
9. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from money.cnn.com/gallery/pf/2017/01/05/best-jobs-2017/57.html
10. Retrieved on December 5, 2018, from ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Usability-Analyst-Salary
11. Retrieved on December 5, 2018, from ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Information-Architect-Salary
12. Retrieved on December 5, 2018, from ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Interactive-Designer-Salary
13. Retrieved on December 5, 2018, from ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Visual-Designer-Salary
14. Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from dynomapper.com/blog/19-ux/176-ux-careers
15. Information reflects self-reported data gathered from Kent State University students enrolled in the online Master of Science in User Experience Design from fall 2014 through summer 2018.